Folding couch



July 1 1924.

H. H. MEGARY ET AL FOLDING COUCH Filed Aug. 23, L 22 2 She'ets-Sheet l ,2 431 /7 6. T/Veary July 1 1924.

H. H. MEGARY ET AL FOLDING COUCH Filed Aug. 25 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 1, 1924.

HARRY H. MEGARY AND CHARLES T. MEGARY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING COUCH.

Application filed August 23, 1922. Serial No. 583,832.

T 0 all whom itmag concern Be it known that we, HARRY H. MEGARY and CriAnLns T. Mia-GARY, citizens of the United. States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Couches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to convertible furniture, and particularly to improvements in convertible couches of the character illus-v trated and described in the patent to Harry H. Megary, #1390248, granted September 6, 1921.

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to improve upon and simplify the construction illustrated in this prior patent and particularly to simplify the construction of the couch bed sections and to make these sections more rigid so that when force is applied to one end of a section to lift it,

. both ends of the section will raise at once,

thus preventing deformation of the movable couch bedsection as it is lifted to a vertical position and laid over upon the main couch bed section.

A further object is to provide a couch bed of the character illustrated in this prior patent in which there is a dominant and an auxiliary couch bed section and provide an improved form of springs for urging the couch bed. sections to a vertical position so that they may be folded one inside the other, these springs acting to permit the ready lifting of the couch bed sections.

Another object is to hingedly connectthe mattresses of the two sections together so that the mattress of the auxiliary section may be turned over upon the mattress-of the dominant or main section, whereby the sin-.

gle couch or bed so formed has two.mat-

tresses superposed upon each other instead of the construction described and illustrated in the patent before referredto where the mattress of the auxlhary section is carrled permanently upon the frame of the auXil-' ary section and, therefore, performs nofunction as a mattress when the two sections are foldable couch bed, co-nstructed'in accordance with the invention;

' Figure 2. is an end view, showing the dominant and auxiliary couch bed sections in position, whereby the device may be used as a bed, and illustrating the auxiliary couch bed section folded beneath the dominant sec tion in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an end view of the foldable couch bed, showing the dominant couch bed section raised and the auxiliary couch bed section in the position taken as it 1S",'b6l11g folded below the former;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the a'uxiliary couch bed sectlon, showlng the mattress supporting springs removed, and illustrating the supporting legs and latches;

, Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectionalview on line 7-7of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is anenlarged detail View of the hinge connection between the auxiliary couch bed section and the supporting frame, and illustrating how a bracket carried by the dominant couch bed section may engage the tubular rod, upon which the auxiliary couch bed section is pivotally mounted;

Figure 9 is a sectional'view on line 9-9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a sectional view on line 10-10 of Figure 1; v

Figure 11. is an enlarged detail sectional view of the latch connection with the latch supports of the auxiliary couch bed section;

Figure 12 is a view in rear elevation of the constructionshown in Figure 1 1; V

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the mounting of one of the mat,- tress supporting springs, showing how the springs are connected, and held in place by the marginal wire or rod; 7

. Figure 14 is an enlarged detail View. showing the connection between a braceand one of the legs of the supporting frame.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the supportingframe, which comprises the end sections 2. Each end section is constructed of angle iron and has supporting legs 3. The legs 3 are reinforced by the. braces 4. I V 7 The rear legs 3 of the opposite end sections of the supporting frame are reinforced by the longitudinally disposed brace 5 of angle iron. The bottom flange of the angle iron at its ends is upturned and the vertical flanges of the angle iron 5 are secured at 7 and 8 to the rear legs of the end sections of the supporting frame.

The forward legs of the supporting frame 1 are reinforced by the longitudinal brace 50 which is secured at 51 to said legs. Also secured at 51 to said legs are angularly disposed braces 52, which in turn are secured at 53 to the tubular rod 9, as shown clearly in Figure 5;

The forward upper portions of the end sections of the supporting frame are connected, and reinforced by means of the tubular bar or rod 9, clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 8. The ends of this tubular rod may be secured in the angle irons of the end sections of said supporting frame in any suitable manner (not shown).

The foldable couch bed includes dominant and auxiliary couch bed sections 13 and 14, and secured in any suitable manner preferably as shown at 15, by means of rivets to the dominant couch bed section are angle plates or brackets 16. The longer arms of the angle plates or brackets 16 are carried by the dominant couch bed section, while the short arms of said plates are pivotally mounted on bolts 11 (see Figure 7), between their heads 17 and the outer faces of the angle iron of the end sections of the supporting frame, thereby pivotally supporting the dominant couch bed section, so that it may assume a closed position as in Figure 2, or may assume a position as shown in Figure 3.

Arranged adjacent the upper horizontal flanges of the angle iron of the end sections are coiled tension springs 18. Each spring 18 has one of its ends 19 terminating in a downwardly extending lug 20, which engages or passes through the hori- Zontal flange of the angle iron of the supporting frame, assisting in holding the coil spring in position. U-shaped bolts 21, such as shown in Figures 2 and 10 straddle the arm 19 of the coil spring, as disclosed in Figure 10, and have their arms passing through the upper horizontal flange of the angle iron. The lower ends of the arms of this U-shaped bolt or staple are swaged or headed as shown at 22, to anchor the same in place, and to hold the arms 19 of the springs 18 in position.

The springs 18 also have their other arms 23 bent to form elongated loops 24. One side 25 of the loop terminates in a lateral projection 26, which has its terminal provided with an eye 27 engaged about the arm 23 of the spring.

These loops engage collars 28, which are mounted rotatably upon bolts 29. The bolts 29 are threaded through the end vertical flanges of the angle iron, of which the. dominant couch bed section 13 is constructed. Suitable lock nuts 30 engage the bolts. Nuts 31 are threaded upon the bolts 29, to hold the sleeves 28 in position. In other words the sleeves 28 operate between the heads 32 of the bolts and the nuts 31. The sleeves 28 engage the loops carried by the arms 23, and are designed to roll in the guide loops, whenever the dominant couch bed section is open or closed. The coil springs 18 are tensioned when the dominant couch bed section is lowered to a horizontal position and the construction and arrangement of the springs 18 are such, that when the bed clothing is placed upon the dominant couch bed section, the weight thereof will be just sufficient to overcome the tension of the springs but when the bed clothing is removed the springs will act to move the dominant couch bed section to a vertical position, or substantially so.

The tubular rod 9 not only acts as a reinforcing brace between the end sections of the supporting frame 1, but also constitutes a fulcrum for the auxiliary couch bed section 14. For instance the angle straps or plates 33 are secured in any suitable manner to the lower horizontal flanges of the angle iron (of which the auxiliary couch. bed section 14 is constructed) and their ends terminate in sleeves 34, through which the rod 9 passes. Obviously the auxiliary couch bed section is capable of being moved to the position shown in full lines in Figure 3, or torthe position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Angle plates 35 are riveted or otherwise secured to the forward bar or portion of the dominant couch bed section 13, and are designed to rest upon the tubular rod 9, as shown clearly in Figures 1, 2 and 8.

Coiled aroimd and secured at 36 to the rod 9 are coil springs 37, being two at each end. One pair of these springs 37 are so arranged as to urge the auxiliary couch bed section 14 from the horizontal position shown in full lines in Figure 2, toward a vertical position, while the other said springs 37 are so arranged as to urge the auxiliary couch bed section 14 from the dotted line position in Figure 2 toward a vertical position. Thus it will be seen that both pairs of springs act to yieldingly hold the auxiliary couch bed section in a vertical position but that when the auxiliary section is moved either to the full line position in Figure or to the dotted line position in Figure 2, one or the other of the pairs of springs 37 will be placed under tension. When the auxiliary couch bed section 14 is disposed as in full lines in Figure 2, and the bed clothing is placed upon the mattress of the section, the weight thereof is sufiicient to hold the, auxiliary couch bed section in position.

The outer end portion or free edge of the auxiliary couch bed section adjacent its ends has brackets 40, forming bearings for a U- shaped rod 41. The end portions 42 of this U-shaped member constitute supporting legs for the auxiliary couch bed section, and pivotally connected at 43 to the legs 42 are reinforcing latch braces 44. These braces operate between supporting plates 45, which are secured upon the under faces of the horizontal flanges of the angle iron of the couch bed section 14 (see Fig ure 5). The supporting plates 45 are angular, and conform to each other, and their vertical portions are in parallelism, to receive therebetween the bracing latches 44. Suitable pins 46 connect the vertical portions of the supporting plates 45, and are so spaced as to permit the reinforcing latches 44 to be guided therebetween. The free ends of the reinforcing latches terminate in downwardly extending lugs 47, and have notches 48, which engage the lower pins 46 when the legs 42 are disposed vertically, as in Figure 2, thereby preventing them from collapsing under the auxiliary couch bed section. However, when the legs 41 are turned into the position shown in Figure 3, the latches slide between the pins 46 and assume a position substantially parallel to the ends of the auxiliary couch bed section, as shown in Figure 3. hen the auxiliary couch bed section is moved to an open position as in full lines in Figure 2, the legs may be disposed vertically and the notches 48 will automatically engage the lower'pins 46. The legs under such, conditions are braced.

Arranged transversely of the dominant and auxiliary couch bed sections 13 and 14 are bars 54 and 55. The. ends of these bars terminate in right angle portions 56 and 57, extending in opposite directions, which are secured in any suitable manner (not shown) to the vertical flanges of the angle irons of the dominant and auxiliary couch bed sections. These bars 54 and 55 as shown clearly in Figure 13 have openings 58, in which the lower ends of the helical coil bed springs 59 are threaded. The upper ends of the bed springs are connected together by links 60. The outer portions of the marginal bed springs are connected to marginal wires or rods 61 by links 62. In order to reinforce and hold the bed springs from slipping and collapsing longitudinal and transverse wires or rods 63 and 64 are provided attached at 65 and 66 to the upper conv0lutions of the bed springs. The ends of the longitudinal and transverse wires are connected at 67 to the marginal reinforcing rods 61, thereby acting to hold the springs in position, to support the usual mattresses 68 and. 69 The mattresses 68 and 69 are hingedly connected to each other in any suitable manner as at 70, so thatthe mattress 69 may fold upon the mattress 68. When the auxiliary couch bed section 14 is to be folded to the position shown'in .dotted lines in Figure 2, the mattress 69 is first folded upon the mattress 68, and then the dominant couch bed section 13 is tilted to the position shown in Figure 3, after which the auxiliary couch bed section 14 is moved into the full line position shown in Figure 8 and y then lowered to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. When the auxiliary couch bed section 14 is moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the marginal couch bed spring wire 71 rests upon the angular support 5, thereby supporting the auxiliary couch bed section folded. V

The angle irons 13 and 14 braced by the braces 54 and 55make the dominant or main and auxiliary bed sections very strong and rigid so that both ends of the auxiliary sec tion, for instance, may be lifted and the auxiliary section turned over into position below the dominant section or the dominant section lifted and lowered without 'the sections becoming deformed and warping. This is one of the important features over the construction illustrated in the prior patent before referred to. It is ob viously necessary that the dominant and auxiliary supporting sections shall be rigid sothat these sections will not get out of shape when lifted. Another improvement over the constructions previously forming the subject-matter of the said patent is the use of the coiled springs 18 and 37. These springs are more compact, they do not defleet: laterally, and a better tension is secured. Furthermore, they do not tend to project awkwardly as the springs in the prior patent, nor are. the springs so liable to breakage. By hinging the mattress section 69 to the mattress section 68, the mattress section 69 may be turned over upon the section 68 so that when the couch is con verted into a single couch there will be two mattresses, one disposed upon the other, whereas in the prior construction the mat tress of the auxiliary couch section was entirely out of use and entirely valueless when the couch was converted from a double couch or bed to a single couch or bed.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is 1. In a couch bed, a main supporting frame, a longitudinally extending rod mounted upon said frame, a couch section including a rectangular frame having sleeves loosely embracing said rod whereby said couch section may be turned from a horizontal position to a vertical position springs mounted upon the rod and operatively engaging the frame of the couch section, the springs of each pair being oppositely coiled with relation to each other, one spring acting to resist movement of the couch section from a vertical plane to a horizontal plane in one direction and the other spring of each pair yieldingly oppos ing movement of the couch section from a vertical position to a horizontal position in the opposite direction.

2, In a couch bed, a main frame comprising end pieces of angle iron formed to provide transverse horizontally disposed portions and downwardly extending legs, one pair of legs being connected by a longitudinally extending brace, a longitudinally ex tending rod connecting the upper ends of the other pair of legs, a dominant couch bed section comprising a rectangular angle iron frame and having ears hinged to the end pieces above the first named brace and having members adapted to rest upon the transverse rod when the dominant outer section is in a horizontal position, an auxiliary couch section including a rectangular frame having sleeves loosely embracing said rod whereby the auxiliary section may be turned from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa, coiled springs mounted upon the main frame adjacent the pivotal axis of the dominant bed section and operatively engaging the frame thereof and urging said frame to a vertical position, and a plurality of pairs of coiled springs surrounding said rod and engaged therewith and operatively engaging the auxiliary couch section, the springs of each pair being oppositely coiled with relation to each other, one of said springs acting to yieldingly resist movement of the auxiliary couch section from a vertical position to a horizontal position in one direction and the other of said springs acting to yieldingly resist movement of the auxiliary couch section to a horizontal position in the other direction.

3. In a couch bed, a main frame comprising end pieces of angle iron formed to provide transverse horizontally disposed portions and downwardly extending legs, one pair of legs being connected by a longitudinally extending brace, a longitudinally extending rod connecting the upper ends of the other pair of legs, a dominant couch bed section comprising a rectangular angle iron frame and having ears hinged to the end pieces above the first named brace and having members adapted to rest upon the transverse rod when the dominant outer section is in a horizontal position, an auxiliary couch section including a rectangular frame having sleeves loosely embracing said rod whereby the auxiliary section may be turned from a horizontal position to a vertical position and vice versa, and two sets of springs having coils surrounding said rod and engaged therewith, the free ends of said springs operatively engaging the auxiliary couch section, one set of springs resisting movement of the auxiliary section from a verti cal to a horizontal position in one direction and the other set resisting movement of the auxiliary couch section from a vertical to a horizontal position in the opposite direction.

a. In a couch bed, a supporting frame, a dominant couch bed section operatively hinged to the frame at one corner thereof and including a rectangular frame, an auxiliary couch bed section operatively hinged to the opposite side of the main frame and adapted to fold below the dominant couch bed sect-ion, coiled springs mounted upon the main frame adjacent the pivotal axis of the dominant couch bed section, said springs having arms formed to provide elongated loops, and studs carried by the end members of the frame of the dominant couch bed section having sliding engagement in said loops, said springs acting to urge the dominant couch bed section to a vertical position.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afix our signatures.

HARRY H. MEGARY. CHARLES T. MEGARY. 

